Read More

Today (April 18) the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) revealed that the name of the man shot dead was Richard Cottier.

They are independently investigating the circumstances leading up to Mr Cottier’s death.

It said that initial information indicates officers responded after the 41-year-old called police in the early hours of the morning, informing them that he had taken an overdose and alleging the he had a firearm in his possession.

An investigation has been launched by the IOPC

Mr Cottier was located at the Esso garage on Collier Row Road and officers fired two shots.

Investigators from the IOPC attended the scene and a procedure was carried out where police officers provide initial accounts of the incident.

Read More

The investigators later returned to the area to carry out further enquiries, including recovering CCTV as well as undertaking house-to-house enquiries.

Body-worn video footage from the officers involved is also being examined.

Police were called to Collier Row Road in the early hours of the morning on April 9

A post-mortem carried out on the Thursday found Mr Cottier died of gunshot injuries.

A ballistics expert has also confirmed that the weapon being carried by Mr Cottier was a modified air rifle.

“We are at the very start of piecing together what happened to Mr Cottier on Monday morning and my thoughts are with his family and friends and all those affected by his death,” said IOPC regional director, Jonathan Green.

Read More

“Our investigation will be meticulous and independent in examining the circumstances surrounding Mr Cottier’s death.

“Already, our investigation has been helped by the independent witnesses we have identified and the CCTV retrieved covering the area as well as the body worn footage activated by the officers involved.